The renowned contralto Maureen Forrester transcends the conventions of operatic acting to deliver a brilliant and gripping portrayal of the enigmatic Madame Flora in this 1977 television production of Menotti's classic thriller. Based on the acclaimed 1974 production by the Comus Music Theatre of Canada, this video captures the opera's erie atmosphere and emotional intensity, making clear why it is one of the most frequently-performed works of the 20th-century repertoire.

The Medium was first performed at Columbia University's Brander Matthew Hall on May 8,1946. It was produced for Broadway by Chandler Cowles, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. and Edith Lutyens and opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in a double-bill with Menotti's The Telephone on May 1,1947, where it ran for 212 performances.